Honor
by TotalCSIfan
Summary: One of Jackie's students presents her with quite the honor but will she be more surprised than thankful. Please read and review!


"Hi Mrs. Stokes." One of her students named Adam said happily as he entered Jackie's classroom.

"Hi bud, how are ya?" Jackie asked cheerfully.

"I'm great." He said excitedly.

Adam was one of the sweetest kids you'd ever want to meet, he was always so happy and bubbly, he was also a teacher's dream, he never got in trouble. The only thing with him was that he loved to talk, but unlike most kids he didn't get in trouble for talking to his friends, he always wanted to talk to Jackie. He'd come into the classroom in the morning and make an immediate B-line for Jackie's desk.

It started to become a bit of a problem though because instead of hanging up his coat and backpack, getting his chair, and sitting down and getting to work on his morning worksheet he'd be chatting with Jackie and he wouldn't get his work done. It had become a big enough problem that Jackie had to think of a solution to help the little guy get his work done.

What she had come up with was to let him come into the room a full ten minutes before the other students got there to give him ample time to hang up his coat and backpack and get his chair, and then still have time to talk to Jackie as well before the other kids came in for the day. That way when the others came in he could just start working on his worksheet while they are hanging up their stuff and getting their chair.

He was so sweet Jackie didn't want to damper his happy spirit by telling him he couldn't talk to her but she also needed him to get his stuff done.

"Mrs. Stokes I have to tell you something." He told her excitedly.

"What do you need to do first?" She asked.

"I have to hang up my coat and backpack and get my chair." He told her.

"Yep." She told him with a smile.

"Can I just tell you one thing first, please?"

Jackie sighed inwardly.

"Alright, one thing and then you need to get your stuff done."

"Ok, my mommy found out that her baby is going to be a boy, and I am really happy because I won't be the only boy anymore."

"Oh wow, congratulations buddy." She said.

"Yep and guess what else?"

"What?" Jackie asked.

"My mommy said I could name the baby."

"Wow, how nice of her." Jackie said.

"Yep and I know what I'm going to name him."

"What is his name going to be?" Jackie asked.

"Mrs. Stokes." He said.

"What?" She asked.

"That's what the baby's name is going to be, Mrs. Stokes, after you because you are my favorite teacher." He said with a big smile on his face.

Jackie didn't quite know what to say, she was flattered, but she was pretty sure the little boy's mother would not allow him to name the baby Mrs. Stokes.

"Sweetie, that is so nice, but you don't need to do that." She said, hoping to change the little boy's mind.

"I know but I want to, I didn't like my kindergarten teacher at all, she was mean to me, but I love you." He said adamantly.

Adam had not attended kindergarten at Jackie's school and from the stories she'd heard about his kindergarten teacher Jackie firmly believed that she was a mean woman and in no way should be a teacher.

"Just because I'm your favorite teacher doesn't mean you have to name your baby brother after me." Jackie told the little boy with a smile.

"I know, but I thought if I did you would let me be in your class again next year." He responded.

"What?" Jackie asked him confusedly. "Well the other day you said that I have to go to second grade next year and so you wouldn't be my teacher anymore, I thought maybe if I named the baby Mrs. Stokes you'd let me be in your class again."

"Sweetheart, you have to go to second grade." Jackie told him.

"But I don't want to, what if my second grade teacher is mean like my kindergarten teacher?" He asked sounding panicked.

"Oh bud, I know all three of the second grade teachers, and they are all so nice, I promise, and it's not like you won't see me at all next year, I'm right down the hall. You'll see me all the time." Jackie assured him with a smile.

"I still want to be in your class." He said, not changing his mind.

"You still need to go to second grade, and do you know why?" Jackie asked.

"Why?" He asked glumly.

"Because you are so smart that you are ready for second grade." Jackie told him with a smile.

The little boy sighed as he went to hang up his coat and backpack and then get his chair, disappointed that he hadn't persuaded Jackie to let him be in her class next year.

The other students then came in so the room was buzzing with activity.

Jackie had put her conversation with Adam in the back of her mind until they were in the reading block of the day. Adam was normally a very good reader but today he seemed to be struggling with the easiest words, she was certain he knew how to read these easy words.

"Bud, come visit me out in the hall for a minute." Jackie told him with a smile, she was bound and determined to figure out what was going on.

"Adam, you are a very good reader, how come you are having such a hard time today? Is everything ok?" She asked once they were out in the hallway.

He looked surprised.

"Yeah, I'm just pretending I don't know how to read today."

Now it was Jackie's turn to be surprised.

"Why are you doing that?" she asked.

"Because, if you think I don't know how to read you'll let me be in your class next year so you can teach me how." He told her.

"Adam, you are very smart, I know you know how to read already. If you act like you don't know how to read when you really do, are you being honest with me?"

"No." He said glumly.

Jackie smiled at him.

"That's right." She said. (Jackie really stressed the importance of honesty to her students.)

"Are you mad?" He asked.

"No, I'm not mad, thank you for telling me the truth." She told him with a smile as she held up her hand so he would give her a high five.

He did and smiled at her.

"Listen I have an idea." Jackie told the little boy.

"What's the idea?" He asked excitedly.

"Well I let students that I have had in the past come in one day a week and be my helper in the morning before school starts. They help me pass out papers, staple things, put things in kid's mailboxes, and other things. If your mom can get you here early one day a week next year I'd love it if you'd come in and be my helper, would you like that?"

"Yes." He said so excited he nearly screamed his answer.

Jackie laughed "Ok, I'll talk to your mom after school and see what day would work the best for her."

"Thanks Mrs. Stokes." He said happily.

"You're welcome, now what do you say we go back into the room and you can show me how well you can read your book to me?"

"Ok, and I will do it really good, I promise."

"Good, that's what I like to hear." Jackie said with a smile.

"_There is never a dull moment with this job."_ Jackie thought to herself as she and Adam walked back into the classroom.

The End!


End file.
